Architectural Products Update

 
Green Prefab Homes

LivingHomes sustainable prefabricated homes are now also available in Canada. With open floor plans, exterior decks, solar-ready green roofs, and geothermal heating and cooling, the homes designed for Canada are targeting LEED Platinum certification. Resource-efficient features include triple-paned, argon-filled glass; blown-in closed-cell insulation; water-conserving plumbing fixtures; and systems for rainwater collection and graywater reuse. The factory-built modules can typically be assembled onsite in a single day. Noted architect Ray Kappe, FAIA, has designed the first residences planned for Toronto, being developed by Nexterra Green Homes. The first LivingHomes house, also designed by Kappe, was the first LEED Platinum-rated home in the United States.

livinghomes.net

 
Synthetic Roofing Underlayment

The Opus™ Roof Blanket is a synthetic roofing underlayment that offers an alternative to felt paper and plastic sheeting underlayiment under all types of steep-slope roofing materials. The product has a slip-resistant surface for high walking surface traction and is easy to chalk or mark. The non-glare surface stays cool to the touch even in direct sunlight. The material is lighter than felt and provides better coverage per roll: each 32-pound (14.5-kilogram) roll comprises eight squares. Warranty protects the roof deck up to 30 months uncovered against tearing, UV degradation, and moisture infiltration. From Propex Operating Company, LLC.

opusroofblanket.com

 
Operable Glass Partitions

Movable walls from Modernfold provide both transparency and sound separation in a divided space, facilitating daylighting, interior openness, and design flexibility. A collaboration with Joel Berman Glass Studios will enable architects and designers to integrate a wide array of custom textures, colors, and resins into the glass partitions. The panels are four inches (100 millimeters) thick and easy to set up, with electronically controlled top and bottom seals and an electronically controlled final closure.

modernfold.com

 
LED String Lighting

The String lighting fixture from Traxon Technologies is an LED unit designed for challenging architectural installations. The fixture consists of five elements, each comprising 32 individually controllable LEDs on a translucent cable, resulting in 160 pixels per String set. Compact and flexible, the unit can be placed on a wide variety of surfaces, allowing for direct-view monochromatic or multiple color lighting effects, even on three-dimensional objects. Allows for display of individual effects, graphics, and text elements, as well as low-to-medium-resolution video. Precise color effects from 16.7 million colors. Applicable for architectural, hospitality, retail, and entertainment applications.

traxon-usa.com

 
Steel Shingles for Cool Roofs

MetalWorks Cool Color Shingles from TAMKO Building Products have high solar reflectance, and may help lower energy costs for residential and commercial buildings. The shingles have an initial solar reflectance of at least 25 percent, and a maintenance solar reflectance of at least 15 percent after three years of normal use. As Energy Star-qualified products, the shingles are eligible for application for the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) federal tax credits of 2009. The product line includes shingles that imitate the look of tile, slate, and wood. Listed for UL Class A fire resistance and Class 4 impact resistance. Fifty-year limited warranty.

tamko.com